24 comments:

I'm unclear on what precisely is the value that military forces bring to storm cleanup. Is it merely that they consist of a WHOLE BUNCH O'DUDES that can be commanded to go to a particular place and pick up rubble?

Because I don't see any other inherent value in armed forces for that sort of thing. Are they supposed to shoot the water? Because the Canadian Land Forces showed excellent judgement when they told the Queen she was welcome to stick that useless piece of shit SA-80 up her arse and they build their own M-16/M-4s in a joint venture with Colt Canada. So at least for them, shooting remains a viable option.

But frankly, I don't think it would do a great deal of good, and once the sun has been out for a couple days the water will go away all on it's own anyway...

i see mikey's point, if the Gov't is funding the cleanup either way. If they can pay a WHOLE BUNCH O DUDES to go pick up the place, it works just as well.

But here's where it doesn't work as well; mobilization speed and ability to do what is necessary, including the horrible things that a private company wouldn't touch. Military, it seems to me, is more able to deal with all the various things that might come up, without having to re-negotiate a contract.

Also, Private industry insists on profits. So it will inevitably cost more and the contractors are more likely to do things cheaply or easily, rather than correctly, in order to maximize those profits.

Also, Private industry insists on profits. So it will inevitably cost more and the contractors are more likely to do things cheaply or easily, rather than correctly, in order to maximize those profits.

Is it merely that they consist of a WHOLE BUNCH O'DUDES that can be commanded to go to a particular place and pick up rubble?

From the link:"It's been a month," said Mayor Jacques Desmarais of Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu. "People are exhausted and there's still work to do — cleaning, inspections and different types of activities.

"I think it's important enough that the military stay here to help people through."

Reform(tm) politics has always been about substituting one set of clients (Toronto-MTL establishment) for another (Calgary oil). Reform-a-tory politics has been about fusing the interests of these clients. The corporate welfare will flow fast and free. The human welfare will not.

It's just that, since Quebec had the temerity to vote orange this time and not dark blue, there is further excuse to poop on it.

If you shoot sandbags, the sand leaks out, and pretty soon some self-important asshole will come by and notice their rather flaccid and deflated state, and demand that you get up and go out in the sun and fill up a bunch more. It's like a perpetual stupid machine powered by the powerless.